It Comes With a Price
by Fading Emerald
Summary: Everything Elphaba ever wanted came with a price. Her whole life was a struggle to find something good in the chaos of her world. For her life to mean something. One-shot songfic to the song "Cat and Mouse"


**Author's Note: I'm still working on my Wicked/Warriors crossover, trying to plan out the whole plotline. Should submit the third chapter tomorrow. In the meantime, I wrote this little songfic.**

**I do not own Wicked or the song "Cat and Mouse" (credit to The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus)**

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><p><strong><em>Softly we tremble tonight,<br>Picture perfect fading smiles are all that's left in sight,  
>I said I'd never leave you'll never change<br>I'm not satisfied with where I'm at in life._**

Elphaba turned over in her bed once again, unable to find a comfortable way to sleep. The open window let in relentless gusts of air, but she didn't have the will to close it. When she tried to close her eyes, all she saw were the faces and smiles of all those she had left behind. Glinda's bubbly laughter and Fiyero's warm eyes were too much for her. She look out at the night, wondering how different her life would have been if she had just been able to choke down her

defiance and selfish pride. Everything would be different.

**_Am I supposed to be happy?  
>When all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.<em>**

She would never forget that day at Shiz when she and Fiyero rescued the Lion Cub. She remembered all the rage she felt towards the Cubs' captors and how she knew in her heart that she had done the right thing. Obviously, the Lion felt otherwise. He became known as the Cowardly Lion and blamed Elphaba for not letting him stand up for himself. How quickly he forgot who he owed his life to. And when she accidently brushed hands with Fiyero that day, a feeling of electricity tensed the air around them. Then she remembered that he was dating her best friend. They had no hope of a future together She had finally made a friend, but at what cost?

**_Am I supposed to be happy?  
>When all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.<em>**

When she had left to see the Wizard, she was not prepared for the lies that were revealed to her that day. That being the Wizard's Magic Grand Vizier, her life's dream, was not at all how she imagined. She was tricked into harming innocent Monkeys for the sake of creating spies for the Wizard himself. There was no way she was going to help his monster in his sick, twisted mission.

_You said, you said that you would die for me..._

"Elphie, are we friends?" Glinda had asked her once.

"Best friends." Was her honest reply.

"You know, I think I'd do almost anything for you Elphie. Even give up the color pink for a whole month." She giggled.

Elphaba just smiled.

**_We made plans to grow old,  
>Believe me there was truth in all those stories that I told.<em>**

They were going to live in the Emerald City one day. The city fit each of them so well. It was has fully stocked with the latest fashions and accessories for Glinda and the city's love for the color green was very appealing to Elphaba. It was a perfect match for the both of them.

**_Lost in a simple game cat and mouse remain the same  
>Are we the same people as before this came to light?<em>**

What happened to those two best friends? Now they had become Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. But surely those titles can't change the people behind them, can they? She may be called the Wicked Witch, but that didn't make her wicked. And Glinda may be called a Good Witch, but that didn't mean she was always right. Everyone is entitled to mistakes. Elphaba had to hold on to the hope that no matter what happened, the cruelty of the world around them would never take away their friendship.

**_Am I supposed to be happy?  
>When all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.<em>**

All her life, she had done all she could for her sister. Nessarose never fully appreciated how much Elphaba sacrificed for her sake. And when Nessa pleaded for help, she tried to give her sister the power to walk on her own two feet. When she succeeded, she felt as though she had finally managed to do something good with her powers. But then, her sister lost control of herself and attempted a love spell without considering the consequences. She couldn't let her sister hurt Boq, and tried to stop her, but she succeeded in stealing the Munchkin's heart. Elphaba, in a panic, saved him in the only way she could. Boq was spared at the price of becoming a Tinman. But she had saved him, and yet he turned against her. What had she done wrong?

**_Am I supposed to be happy?  
>When all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.<em>**

Elphaba always thought she would sacrifice anything for Glinda. But when Fiyero confessed he loved her, they both abandoned Glinda in a heartbeat. And no matter how much guilt she had felt about it, it wasn't enough to resist being with the one she loved, even if it meant betraying the only friend who still had faith in her even after all the lies that were spread about her wickedness. And even more guilt for knowing that that night spent with Fiyero in the forest was the happiest night of her life. For once, she felt as though every pain and trial she had endured had been worth it just to see his eyes look at her in that tender way and to hear them both admit the love they felt for each other after years of suppressing their true feelings. But now she understood how much she had hurt Glinda and could not imagine how she must have felt, losing her fiancé to her best friend.

**_You said, you said that you would die for me..._**

"Elphaba, I'll tell everyone the truth. I'll clear your name."

She couldn't risk Glinda being blamed for her own mistakes. She didn't want her to suffer for her sake.

"No. Promise me you won't try to clear my name."

**_You must live for me too'...  
>For me too... yeah, yeah...<br>You said that you would die for me..._**

Now, it was all up to Glinda. She couldn't stay with her anymore. This was where their stories had to end, at least for now. It was up to her to take care of Oz and to give the Animals the rights they deserved. Through Elphaba's influence in Glinda's life, maybe she would have the comfort of knowing that her life has not been in vain.

**_Am I supposed to be happy?  
>When all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.<em>**

Doctor Dillamond.

"_Under the surface, behind the scenes, something bad…is happening in Oz…"_

The Lion Cub.

"_And the Lion also has a grievance to be paid, if she'd let him fight his own battles when he was young, he wouldn't be a coward today!"_

Nessarose.

"_You fly around Oz trying to rescue Animals you've never even met – and not once have you ever thought to use your power to rescue me."_

Boq.

"_It's due to her I'm made of tin, her spell made this occur. So for once I'm glad I'm heartless, I'll be heartless killing her!"_

**_Am I supposed to be happy?  
>When all I ever wanted, it comes with a price<br>You said, you said that you would die for me..._**

Everything she had done, everything she had ever worked for, had turned against her. No matter how hard she tried, she could never meet her expectations of herself. But perhaps, she had met those of Fiyero and Glinda. Fiyero loved her regardless of her faults. Regardless that it was her fault that he was now a Scarecrow. Enough to give up his life in Oz to follow her out into the unknown. And Glinda, who had transformed from a spoiled, pretty and pink princess into the graceful and beautiful Glinda the Good. Elphaba liked to think that she had helped her become the person she was today. And as long as she had helped these two people, her life must be worth something. She had followed her heart and done what she believed to be right, even when it caused all of Oz to turn against her. She might have made costly mistakes and harmed those she loved, but now it was time to let it go.

**_You said that you would die for me  
>You said that you would die for me ohoo<br>You said that you would die for me oohooo_**

Elphaba opened her eyes. She propped herself up with her elbow and turned to look out the window. Peering outside, she saw the pale moon against the dark sky. Maybe her life hadn't been wasted after all.

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><p><strong>AN: So...leave a comment? (: They make my day<strong>


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